Business Enterprise Program for the Blind (BEPB)
The Business Enterprise Program for the Blind (BEPB) provides training to blind and visually impaired customers in the BCCBS VR program. Customers are trained in the operations of and provided business ownership opportunities in the professional food service businesses including a variety of high-tech vending machines, customized snack stands, cafeteria management, and sundries/gift shops.
The BEPB has 61 successful entrepreneurs, with an average income of $51,726, operating small businesses offering a variety of services in federal, state, private agencies, and businesses statewide.
The BEPB program offers management opportunities in the food service industry to individuals who are legally blind. After completing a six-month training course, certified graduates can bid on and operate vending facilities throughout the state.
BEPB FY 23 Program Highlights
With Covid-19 restrictions lifted, many public and private sector offices have seen their daily employee occupancy numbers begin to rise. Some have even returned to their pre-Covid attendance numbers. The vendors of the Business Enterprise Program for the Blind (BEPB) have been there to meet the snack and food needs of returning employees as well as the public that they serve.
A micro-market concept was launched at the Illinois Department of Revenue in downstate Springfield, Illinois. Considered to be the wave of the future, micro-markets are a retail sector closely related to the vending machine industry that provides an unattended market employing self-checkout technology. Additional micro-markets opened include the
- Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino in Peoria
- two micro-markets on the grounds of the Scott Air Force Base in Mascoutah.
BEPB Vision for FY24
- As the micro-market concept has a proven track record of customer convenience, as well as vendor success and profitability, BEPB aims to erect a micro-market at the Illinois Department of Transportation within quarter one of 2024 and are seeking to expand micro-market opportunities for more of our Program vendors.
- The payment kiosks BEPB previously utilized in our micro-markets proved not to be very accessible, but thanks to the ever-changing world of technology, we've identified a unit called the Cantaloupe Go Plus 100 which has accessibility features for the visually impaired on the front end and the back end for our Program vendors. These previously unavailable units will be integrated into the system going forward.
